Portable oxygen-acetylene generator



Aug. 7,1945. R. B. swlFT v 2,381,319

PORTABLE OXYGEN-AGETYLENE' GENERATOR Filed July 2, 1943 5 sheets-sheet 1 44 l z a 32 O i INVENTOR Romfev a. swlFT FIG. 6.' A'enf y ATTORNEY.

R. B. SWIFT PORTABLE OXYGEN-ACETYLENE GENERATOR Aug. 7, 1945.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1943 INVENTOR Room-:Y a. swlFT Aug. 7, 1945. R. B. SWIFT 2,381,319

PORTABLE OXYGEN-ACETYLENE GENERATOR Filed July 2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 NvENToR RODNEY B. SWIFT Q ATTONEY.

Patented Aug. 7,;-1945 I I UNITED `STATES. Pn'wrlarrrg oFFlcls'l GENERA'ron Rodney n. swift, westI Alexandria, omo Application July 2, 1943, sel-ml No. 493.257

lo claims. (cl. 4ta-53.3) o

My invention relates to portable oxygen-acetylene generators.

One object `of my invention is to provide a combined oxygen and acetylene generator in which the rate ofiiow of acetylene controls the rate of generation of oxygen.

Another object of my invention is to provide When a-sodium peroxide oxygen generator is nrst started it requires some artificial heat, particularly if the water into which the sodium 'per-4 oxide discharges is cold. After the oxygen generator has beenoperating for a short time it maintains its own heat through' chemicalreaction. In order 4conveniently to start the oxygen generator I provide av burner whichv is initially connected with the acetylene gas generator.

My invention is illustrated in 'the vaccompanyin g drawings in which corresponding parts in the several views are designated bythe same characters. and in which Fig. l is an elevation of my invention with'the oxygen and acetylene generators'. connected.v together as in use. i

Fig. 2'is a vertical section through-.the acetylene generator with its water compartment partly broken away.,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on 'the linev a-e of Fig. 2.

Fig.' 4 is a vertical section taken through the oxygen generator with the water compartment partly broken away.

Fig. is a modied form of carbide feed valve :lhicl maybe substituted for the feed valve of Fing. 6 is a section -taken on the line 8-8 of g. i v Referring more particularly to Fig. 1', theacetylene generator comprises an inverted glass jar or bottle I0 "containing dry calcium carbide to a,

level indicated by theline II. The calcium'carbide is fed automatically to the-liquid container I2 through 'an intermediate compartment Il in which is locatedfeeding mechanism to be here mafter described. The neckof the'iar or'bottle AIn accordance with my inventionja. limited ner to be hereinafter described. The wallof cylj lIl) is preferably threaded into the upper portion:- of the intermediate compartment I4' against a rubber gasket I3 for sealing purposes.

The oxygen generator comprises a metallic receptacle I6 for sodium peroxide in granular form and aliqud container I1 to which the sodium peroxide is manually fedeither by the operation of a hand plunger IB or a foot pedal I9 Aso ar, ranged asto force a fluid similar to the ordinary hydraulic brakeuid, through a pipe 20into a cylinder to be hereinafter described. The inter mediate compartment 22of the oxygen generator, and the intermediate compartment I4 of the acetylene generator are-connected through hex-- ible hose 2l and 25 to a nozzle 26 at which the fiow of 'acetylene and oxygen is suitably controlled by a pair of valves 21 and 28.

Because there is a considerable delay between the time that a charge of sodium peroxide is dumped into the water of container I1 and the time that oxygen is produced, it is not feasible automatically to control the discharge of sodium peroxide by the pressure of the oxygen' produced.

amount of sodium peroxide is introducedinto the liquid container I1 under the control of pressure produced in'the acetylene generator bythe discharge of calcium'oarbide into the liquid contain'er I-2. To accomplish this automatic operationl I connect a cylinder 30 by means of atubel 3| tothe discharge side of a valve 32, Fig. 3,

opened as hereinafter described whenever the.

pressure in the intermediate compartment I4 rises above a 'predetermined value. The acetylene pressure acts upon the piston 34 vforcing the piston 35 to the left, Fig. 1, and causing the liquid, such as' brake huid, to be expelled from the left end-of the cylinder 30 through thepipe 20 and into the operating cylinder ofthe oxygen' l general/orto cause the dumping of a -predeter` mined amount of sodium peroxide in the maninder 30 is provided with an opening 31 so positioned that it is uncovered by the piston 34 when the pistons 34 and '35 are moved to their left-hand positions. kThis opening in conjunction with the pressure opened 'valve -32 serves as a safety -valve for the acetylene generator since I it constitutes a free discharge to atmosphere for the acetylene whenever it has reached a pressure s'uillcientto' hold the pistons 3l and IB-in their left-hand positions against the-force of the spring 38 acting on the hand plunger Iton top of the oxygen generator.. The cylinder Il is alsopro vided with a tiny leak tube Il foxpermitting the very gradual escape o! acetylene which allows the pistons 34 and 35 gradually to return to their right-hand positions. The leak tube 40 is preferably made by inserting a kinky wire into a drilled opening a few thousandths o1' an inch larger than the wire. II this tiny opening becomes blocked, the wire 4| may be pulled out by its loop, wiped oil and reinsertedpwhereupon the tiny leak will be reestablished.

Referring` now more particularly to Fig. 2, the mechanism for automatically discharging calcium carbide from the .lar or bottle I into the liquid container I2 comprises a funnel member 43 formed integrally with the walls of the intermedlate compartment i4, the bottom of this funnel being provided with an opening 44 into which a valve member 45 is inserted by the counter-clock*- wise rotation of a bell-crank 46 pivoted at 41 on the housing of the intermediate compartment I4.' 'Ihe upwardly extending arm 49 of the bell-crank 46 is pivoted at 5I upon a crosshead 52, Fig. 3, such that the movement of the crosshead i2 to the left. Fig. 2, causes the valve member 4I to move upwardly into and close the opening 44, thus to cut oi the discharge of calcium carbide from the jar or'bottle I0. VThevalve 45 is provided with a head portion 54 normally standing above the opening 44 and adapted to close that opening when the crosshead l2 is moved to the right, Fig. 2. When the acetylene generator is out of use the crosshead I2 is moved to the right under the influence of springs B6 upon 'the unscrewing oi' the thumb screw It along the screw 61. When it is desired to place the acetylene generator into use the thumb screw Il is tightcned, thus moving the crosshead 52 to the leit with the consequent upward movement of 'the head 54 of the valve 45 permitting calcium carbide to fall into the liquid in the container I 2.

Acetylenefgas i's immediately generated creating a pressure on the inner side of the diaphragm 60 to the left against the tension of the springs l! and causing the valve 45 to close the opening 44 cutting oil' the ilow of carbide into the liquid container I 2. The movement of the crosshead to. the left causes its engagement with the head 82 on the stem 83 of pressure relief valve 32. moving that valve oil! its seat and permitting a small amount of acetylene to pass through the conduit 3| into the cylinder I. to bring about the feeding of a definite quantity oi' sodium peroxide in the oxygen generator. The liquid container I2 is attached to the lower part of the intermediate com` partment I4 by means of thumb screws 64 which compress a rubber gasket l8l for creating a seal be tween the intermediate compartment I4 and the liquid container I2.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, the metallic receptacle II of the oxygen generator is provided with a lid I8 held against a rubber ring 61 by suitable retainers ll. The lid Il is provided at its central part with a depending cylinder 10, the top of which is in communication with the pipe 20. Within the cylinder l0V a piston 1I is secured to the piston rod 'I2 Awhich terminates in the hand piece il. 'I'he lower end o! the piscausing the screw l1 and crosshead l2 to move ton rod I2 carries a pair of cone-shaped heads 'y 'I3 and 14 which are closely tt'ed to the neck 15 at the lower end of the metallic receptacle I8. The heads 'I3 and 'I4 are separated by a sleeve 16 which is selected to the proper length that the .amount of sodium peroxide contained between the heads 'I3 and 14 when 'they are both within `the amount of oxygen required for one charge of acetylene in the acetylene generator. 'I'he heads 13 and 'I4 and the sleeve 16 constitute a measuring valve for the sodium peroxide.

The intermediate compartment 22 of the oxy- `gengenerator is suitably soldered or welded to the metallic receptacle I 6 and removably held against a rubber gasket I8 in a groove about the top of the liquid container I1 by suitable thumb screws I9 which permit access to the liquid container Il for cleaning and relilling. A suitable stand lll may be used for holding the container I1 off the tloor to a proper height for a Bunsen burner 82 which is connected through a valve 83 with the source of acetylene from the acetylene generator. .A rupture device 85 is provided in thewall oi the compartment 22 to burst in the event of an excessive pressure of oxygen,

In placing my oxygen-acetylene generator into use the operator having filled the liquid containers partly full of water and having placed calcium carbide in the jar or bottle .Hl and sodium peroxide in the metallic receptacle i6 through the opening normally closed by the removable screw cap 84. ilrst depresses the hand piece I8 one or more times to dump a limited amount of sodium peroxide into the liquid container of the oxygen generator. Unless the weather ls warm the generation of oxygen will be very slow until the temperature of the water has been raised to above '70 Fahrenheit. Because my oxygen-acetylene generators are frequently used for airplane emergency welding it is often necessary to bring the temperature of the water in the oxygen generator to above 70 Fahrenheit without access to an external source of hot water. To start the acetylene generator the thumb screw 56 is pulled outwardly and released. thus moving the valve 45 from the position in which the head 54 closes the opening 44 and-permitting a small amount of calcium carbide to be discharged into the water in the liquid container I2. When enough acetylene has been generated properly to heat up the water in the oxygen generator the thumb screw 56 is -tightened to the proper position to maintain an ilow starts a substantially predetermined amount .of calcium carbide will be Adischarged. into the water of the acetylene generator, thus raising the acetylene pressure slightly causing the diaphragm 6l and crosshead 52 to move to the left and causing the bell-crank 48 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction closing the opening 44. The size of the diaphragm 60 is such that a very slight variation in acetylene pressure causes a substantial movement of the crosshead 52. When the crosshead l2 engages the head 62 on the valve stem B3 the valve 32 is opened. allowing a shot ot acetylene under pressure to enter the right end of cylinder 3l. moving the pistons 34 anda! to the left. forcing operating fluid throughthe pipe 20 into the spaceabove the piston .1 Iroi' the oxygen generator and causing the dischargeffof an amount of sodium peroxide contained between the heads Il and 14 to be discharged into the water ofV the oxygen generator. Each time that -the acetylene generator vpasses through onecycle it causes the oxygen generator to pass through I one cycle. Each of( the generators is provided with a p essure gauge so that the operator can observe-t e pressures of each oi' the Bases. Because of the dimculty in providing an absolutely balanced feed for the sodium peroxide under the l influence of the feed of calcium carbide, itis desirable that the feed of sodium peroxide be adjusted sothat it is slightly less than the required rate to supply the necessary oxygen' for the amount of acetylene ,to'be used. For this reason the oxygen generator is provided with a foot pedal I9 which may be depressed 'by the operator to cause a flow of operating i'iuid to the cylinder 10 of the oxygen generator whenever the oxygen Il formed at the bottom of the funnel member The plate Il being so shaped as to accomplish the same result in its movement to the right that is accomplished by the upward movement of the valve member l in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2.` The connecting rod l. of Fig. 5 would be attached to the crosshead by the pivot Il which in Fig. 2 connects the depending end 40 of the bell-crank 48 with the crosshead l2.

While I have shown and described my invention with respect to certain illustrated details of construction, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be unduly limited thereto, many modiastenersiI l f by pressure of acetylene produced by the discharge of calcium carbide into the water, a source of oxygen gas, a conduit leading from the space above the water in said water receptacle and controlled bythe position of said diaphragm, andy means connected with said conduit for controlling the. pressure of the oxygen from said oxygen source. I

I5. In an acetylene generator, a water compartment and a calcium vcarbide compartment above it, a partition between said compartments cations being possible without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an oxygen-acetylene generatona source of oxygen gas and a source of acetylene gas, a nozzle' to which said sources are connected, a

' receptacle for calcium carbide, a. water receptacle beneath it, automatic feed mechanism for feeding the calcium carbide into the water `under control oi the pressure of acetylene gas produced by the reaction between the calcium carbide and the water, a receptacle for sodium peroxide, a

second@ water receptacle beneath it, and lfeed mechanism for discharging measured quantities of sodium peroxidev into thewater of the second receptacle. and means under the control of the pressure of the acetylene gas for controlling the discharge of sodium peroxide into the water oi' the second receptacle.

2. In an oxygen-acetylene generator in combination, a receptacle for sodium peroxide, a water receptacle beneath it, means t0 discharge measured quantities of sodium peroxide into the water, an acetylene gas generator having a chamber in which the pressure rises and falls periodically responsive to the delivery of calcium carbide thereto, and means operated responsive to each rise in pressure of the acetylene gas for operating the measured quantities of sodium peroxide discharging means. f

3. In an oxygen generator, a receptacle for an oxygen containing compound, a receptacle beneath it for liquid, a measuring valve for dis'- charglng measured quantities of oxygen containing compound into the liquid whereby free oxygen is generated, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston with the measuring valv a fluid pump connected with the cylinder, and a foot pedal foroperating said pump to force having an opening therein, a feed valve controlling said opening, a wall movable under the iniiuence of pressure in said compartments, a pressure relief valve for permitting the escapeV of gas from said compartments, and mechanical connections between said movable wall and said valves for closing Athe feed valve and opening the pressure relief valve when the movable wall is moved outwardly u nder the influence of pressure in said compartments.

6. In an acetylene generator, a water compart- 4 ment and a calcium carbide compartment above it. a partition between saidcompartments having an opening therein, a feed valve controlling said opening, a wall movable under the influence of pressure in said compartments, a pressure relieil valve for permitting the escape of gas from said compartments, connections between said movable wall and said valves for closing the feed valve and opening the pressure relief valve when the movable wall is moved outwardly under the influence of pressure in said compartments, a

conduit in communication with the external side of said pressure relief valve, a cylinder to which said conduit connects. a piston movable in said cylinder oy lgas ,from said conduit, said cylinder having an opening through its wall exposed to the working chamber of said cylinder when the piston is moved to its extreme position under the influence of gas pressure, and an oxygen feed mechanism controlled by the movement of said piston.

7. In an acetylene generator, a water compartment and a calcium carbide compartment above it, a partition between said compartments having an opening therein, a feed valve controlling said opening, a wall movable under the influence of pressure in said compartments, a pressure relief valve for permitting the escape of gas from said compartments, connections between said movable wall and said valves for closing the feed valve and opening the pressure relief valve when the movable wall is moved outwardly under the influence off pressure in said compartments, a conduit in communication with the external side of said pressure relief valve, a cylinder to which said conduit connects, a piston movable in said cylinder by gas from said conduit. said cylinder having an opening through its wall exposed to the working chamber of said cylinder when the piston is moved to its extreme position under the influence of gas pressure, means urging said piston against the pressure of the gasin the cylinder, said cylinder -and conduit being provided with a vent of small sise whereby the gas will gradually escape from the cylinder to permit the piston therein to move to its normal position while the pressure relief 4 asumo valve remains closed, and an oxygen feed mechanism controlled by the movement of said piston.

8. In an oxygen generator, a receptacle for an oxygen containing compound, a receptacle beneath it fer liquid, a measuring' valve for discharging measured quantities of oxygen containing compound into the liquid whereby free oxygen is generated, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston with the measuring valve, a hand piece on said rod, a spring for holding the rod and piston in a normal position in which the measuring valve fills with the oxygen containing compound, the depression of said hand piece serving to move the measuring valve to position in which the oxygen containing compound discharges into the receptacle for liquid,

and means to apply liquid pressure on said piston for moving said measuring valve.

9. In an oxygen generator, a receptacle for an oxygen containing compound, a receptacle beneath it for liquid, a measuring valve for discharging measured quantities of oxygen containing compound into the liquid whereby free oxygen is generated, a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a rod connecting the piston with the measuring valve, a hand piece .-on said rod, a spring for holding the rod and piston in a normal position in which the measuring valve nils with the oxygen containing compound, the depression of said hand piece serving to move the measuring valve to position in which the oxygen containing compound discharges into the receptacle for liquid, and means to apply liquid pressure on said piston for moving said measuring valve, and a foot operated pump ior creating pressure on said piston to move said measuring valve.

10. In an oxygen generator, a. receptacle for an oxygen containing compound, a receptacle beneath it 'for liquid, a measuring valve for discharging measured quantities of oxygen containing compound into the liquid whereby free oxygen is generated, a cylinder, a piston in the cylindex', a rod connecting the piston with the measuring valve, a hand piece on said rod,'a spring for holding the rod and piston in a normal position in which the measuring valve fills with the oxygen containing compound, the depression of said hand piece serving to move the measuring valve to position in which the oxygen containing compound discharges into the receptacle for liquid, and means to apply liquid pressure on said piston for moving said measuring valve` and an automatic pump for creating pressure on said piston in accordance with the demand for oxygen to move said measuring' valve.

RODNEY B. SWIFT. 

